[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-103":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to Divinity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280653,4461,"Chapter 103: Piling Sand into a Tower","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-103",103,"\u003Cp>The sky shuttle ascended rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, it pierced through the cloud layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starlight streamed through the cabin window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It illuminated the golden-threaded black robe, its embroidered patterns glimmering faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian lightly brushed his fingers, and the frost-white flame between them vanished silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiangcheng Auction House.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian pulled out a gold card, stared at it for several seconds, then input commands into the sky shuttle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky shuttle changed direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It flew toward the western side of Five-River Jiangcheng—the Jiangcheng Auction House.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Practicing the Karma Fire scripture, the rate of spiritual essence growth has increased so much!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As thoughts churned, Jiang Jian guided the spiritual energy in a circuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the Karma Fire cultivation method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The movement speed of spiritual energy at the Shenque point had increased by at least thirty percent compared to before!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thirty percent was not merely about cultivation speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It encompassed spiritual energy velocity, affinity, sedimentation of spiritual essence, control over spiritual energy, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In countless ways—from within outward—it was a comprehensive enhancement!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under all these bonuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Jiang Jian simply sat there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Shenque spiritual essence was still slowly increasing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivation in the Divine Bestowal realm becomes increasingly difficult the higher one ascends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond fifty percent, the difficulty rises exponentially!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The average spiritual essence of second-year students at Linjiang Academy is around thirty percent of the Divine Bestowal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even for third-year students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The average spiritual essence is only about fifty percent of the Divine Bestowal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For ordinary students, spiritual essence stagnates completely at this stage, making further advancement nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linjiang Academy is the top Divine Bestowal university in Fuanhezhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, the overall cultivation speed of its students far surpasses that of other Divine Bestowal universities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to ordinary people who barely cultivate, the difference is as vast as heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In every graduating class, among third-year students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fewer than ten reach the Spring Surge realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most third-year students remain stuck between thirty and fifty percent of the Divine Bestowal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a handful of prodigies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Young Master Zhang or Gu Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With countless resources poured into them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Achieve one hundred percent Divine Bestowal before graduation and break into the Spring Surge realm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spring Surge realm is exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In impoverished cities like Guangling City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not an exaggeration to say one in a million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its greatest distinction from the Divine Bestowal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is the addition of one new cultivation point: the Spring Surge point!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spring Surge point can also hold an additional talent orb!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is, a third talent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every Spring Surge being can use three talents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One innate talent, and two talent orbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This also causes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The status of the Spring Surge realm to be extremely high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth’s star ring was once shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it is extremely thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thinner it becomes, the harder cultivation is for all beings across the four realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are only two conditions for star ring expansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, the accumulation of vast amounts of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, the emergence of prodigies within the realm, leading to a flourishing cultivation landscape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, this feeds back into the star ring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star ring converts starlight into energy, which in turn increases the cultivation speed of beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is why the Spirit Platform realm is so crucial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the foundation for feeding back into the star ring begins at the Spirit Platform realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Platform beings can directly absorb “divine power” from starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They do not require the star ring to convert it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they unintentionally feed back into the star ring, increasing its thickness and width.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if a Spirit Platform being does nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star ring of their realm will gradually grow thicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Saturn star ring expanded wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because the number of Spirit Platform beings on Saturn increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Earth-Moon four realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are completely the opposite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star ring is thin, converting little starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beings have lost interest in cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Platform beings are growing fewer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vicious cycle has formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth’s star ring has not increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consumption exceeds feedback, making it even thinner!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the Planetary Accord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth-Moon four realms would have long since become wastelands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a planet’s “star core” is ideal nourishment for star ring expansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original Earth star ring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was shattered by terrifying beings from other planets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their goal was Earth’s star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Descendants of the gods on Neptune intervened and established the Solar System Planetary Accord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the Earth-Moon four realms survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the past century, Neptune has sealed itself off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its beings have not appeared in the Solar System for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Planetary Accord, once so powerful that it deterred all other planets in the Solar System from overstepping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its authority has been weakening year by year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jupiter’s demonic spirit boom, Saturn’s terrifying star ring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are gradually revealing their fangs toward other Solar System planets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Age of the Gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star ring is the foundation of a planet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is why the Earth-Moon four realms offer cultivation subsidies to Earth citizens with high talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of the one hundred and thirty prefectures, most are sinking prefectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morality has decayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resources allocated by the Alliance are rarely used for cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linjiang Prefecture is a remote corner of Earth, a typical declining prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aristocratic clans are deeply entrenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the tightly sealed prefectural government has been infiltrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cultivation facility of Divine Gift University possesses the “Divine Power” prohibition array of the Prayer Hall, one of its most core cultivation resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, outsiders were strictly forbidden from entering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This included graduated students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at some point,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this unshakable rule\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>began to be flexibly interpreted in practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as a graduate demonstrated outstanding performance and potential,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>with the approval of this year’s “Top Student” and review by the Academic Affairs Office,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they could enter the cultivation facility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Zhang” of Jiangcheng Auction House was one such beneficiary of this flexible interpretation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>these beneficiaries themselves were exceedingly rare prodigies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Improved cultivation levels benefited the prefecture as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why the Linjiang Prefectural Government did not enforce the rule strictly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they turned a blind eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This cultivation speed...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cabin, Jiang Jian sensed the Divine Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost-white karma fire burned, guiding the circulation of spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each cycle drew in spiritual momentum, increasing his spiritual reserve limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian even felt\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that his affinity for spiritual energy had increased by at least half!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the sky shuttle pierced through the clouds and descended toward Jiangcheng Auction House.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Named “Jiangcheng Auction House,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>in reality, the entire auction house was a towering, majestic floating city!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This massive city was entirely forged from high-strength technological materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the city, countless array light streams interwove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeping it firmly suspended in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This auction house was nearly equivalent to half of Guangling City’s Divine Illumination District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At 9 p.m. every night, an auction is held.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian took the golden card and input its data into his identity device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information about Jiangcheng Auction House immediately appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, in the Five-River Jiangcheng of Tianzhu Mountain, Linjiang Prefecture, was the largest auction house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely from commission fees, it was already as wealthy as a nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every day, countless spiritual resources from the seventeen states of Linjiang Prefecture were transported by sky shuttles for auction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An auction was held every night at 9 p.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of each month,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>there were even larger-scale, extraordinary prefecture-level auctions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tonight is a regular auction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the auction data shows there are still many valuable items.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian put away the golden card, shut off his identity device, and stepped off the sky shuttle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Prayer Jade’s effectiveness had diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it was barely better than useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian planned to purchase a Divine Gift weapon and replace the Prayer Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiangcheng Auction House contributed enormous tax revenue to the prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Prefectural Prayer Hall had several staff members stationed at the auction house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When someone won a Divine Gift weapon, they could immediately hold the binding ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very convenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine Gift weapons are not better in greater numbers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian ascended the wide staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To preserve spiritual purity, Jiang Jian did not intend to keep the Prayer Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From start to finish, he would retain only one Divine Gift weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then could his spiritual energy remain uncorrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This also slightly improved his cultivation speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These details had minor effects,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but Jiang Jian understood better than anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little by little, accumulation becomes a tower; sand gathered becomes a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivation has never been about luck—every tiny detail deserves attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome to Jiangcheng Auction House.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead, the city gate gleamed in gold and jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone stepped forward to respectfully guide Jiang Jian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1485,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9a31fc0a136724ff5e99aaa182b9be7c0d2d8c253a7fba4f21d1600406778b40","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-104","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-102",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]